What We Study

NIEHS intramural scientists have defined descriptive terms of particular relevance to their own research, and have ranked those terms accordingly. This search feature obtains best-matches with the terms you choose, and shows an overall score based on the scientific rankings.

Research

NIEHS research uses state-of-the-art science and technology to investigate the interplay between environmental exposures, human biology, genetics, and common diseases to help prevent disease and improve human health.

Environmental Stewardship

Research Highlights

The vision of the NIEHS is to use environmental health sciences to understand human disease and improve human health. Use the search box to see research highlights from NIEHS scientists since its founding in 1966.

About NIEHS

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) is expanding and accelerating its contributions to scientific knowledge of human health and the environment, and to the health and well-being of people everywhere.

Epigenetic changes modify the way genetic information is expressed without directly changing the genetic code stored in DNA. Although some epigenetic changes are part of normal development and aging, environmental health scientists are most concerned with understanding how environmental factors can cause epigenetic changes that lead to health problems or disease.

Epigenetic changes likely play an important role in development and are thought to be involved in a wide range of diseases and disorders, including autoimmune and neurodevelopmental disorders, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

What NIEHS is Doing

Scientists funded through a variety of NIEHS research programs are working to better understand the link between environmental exposures and epigenetic regulation of gene expression and how these interactions may affect human health and disease. NIEHS-funded researchers are using state-of-the-art technologies to analyze epigenetic changes caused by exposure to heavy metals, air pollution, tobacco smoke, endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as bisphenol A, pesticides, phthalates, and other contaminants. They use animals, cell cultures, human tissue samples, and population-based studies to pinpoint how epigenetic changes might lead to harmful health effects, which could perhaps be passed on to future generations.

Combined efforts in environmental epigenetics research may profoundly alter the way we understand, diagnose, and treat disease by enhancing our understanding of the influence of environmental factors on epigenetic processes and their subsequent involvement in human health and disease. NIEHS funds several research programs aimed at increasing our understanding of how the environment affects epigenetic processes:

The Roadmap Epigenomics Program, a trans-NIH program funded by the NIH Common Fund and administered by NIEHS and other NIH Institutes and Centers, investigates epigenetic changes across genomes and correlates the presence or absence of specific changes with the development of disease.

For additional information on what NIEHS epigenetics grantees are doing, visit our Who We Fund webpage.